The Dark Witch And Her Knights

51

The air pushing through my lungs was heavy and deep. The taste of iron was prominent on my tongue. Sluggishly I tried forcing my body forward. I was surrounded by mist and darkness. There was an orange glow in the distance. Slowly that glow began appearing in other places. Screams of death vibrated against my skin coming from all directions. It was useless wrapping my arms around myself trying to appease the fear or my trembling.

My feet dragged through the haze at an agonizing pace. I needed to run. I needed to escape this valley of darkness and despair. Something caught on my foot sending me in a slow-motion tumble. I felt no pain but I knew I had fallen hard. Looking back for the obstruction I expected to find a rock. Instead what lay before me was Tovias' battered body.

His face was bruised and swollen. The armor he wore with the crescent moon insignia was splattered with blood and gore. Frantically I searched for signs of life finding none. Looking up into the starless sky of pitch black I screamed the most gut-wrench scream possible. My head fell against his breastplate as I wept.

A battle cry echoed from nearby yet I couldn't bring myself to care. Instinctively I knew it was heading straight for me and I thought let me die here and now. That I have caused all the destruction around me and I should suffer for it. I heard the clatter of armor getting closer.

Strike me down.

I looked directly at the charging man wanting to face my death staring it down when a figure collided with him. They too seemed to move in slow motion. The one protecting me lost his helmet revealing his long blond hair. Their swords collided drawing out a loud clattering ring that made me want to cover my ears. The knight defending against the attacker turned toward me.

"Run!" Arbor yelled.

Like I was moving through mud I slowly got my feet and turned to run. I could not move fast but I could sense that I was putting a decent distance between us. A light appeared from above causing the fog to glow bright white before dissipating. The moon had been revealed as if a blocking cloud had finally moved out of its way. As the scene around me cleared I could easily make out that I was standing in the middle of a battlefield. Bodies and fighting men were in every direction.

My hand went to the ocular necklace at my throat. I needed a place completely untouched by light. My eyes scanned the horizon in search of anything I could take cover with. The cackling of gorgons echoed all around me. Lethargically I turned about coming face to face with two hags I immediately knew were Beldman Crones. I had never met one before but there was a great sense of meaning behind seeing them.

They did not come alone either. Between them hung an unconscious knight. A hag reached for his dark locks wrenching back his head to reveal his face. And for some odd reason, I already knew who he was. I already knew what was to happen next. I knew everything as if I had lived through this event over and over again.

A knife appeared before slicing across Gavrial's bared throat. The rivulets of blood crept down his armor as the hags bared their blackened teeth hissing at me. The trifling light around us was dousing. They tossed Gavrial's body to the ground and charged at me right as the last light in the world went out.

"Free me," I whispered as my hand gripped the eye at my throat.

***

I awoke in a cold sweat. Trembling and terrified by the events I saw. I have dreamt this dream many times before. When it started I knew nothing of what was going on around me. I knew only fear and escape. I did not recognize any faces or understand what was happening. The more I have the dream the more I remember. It does not always begin the same or at the same point in time. It is constantly changing and evolving.

What remains the same is the battle and loss of my loved ones. Everyone I have ever loved appears on that field at some point losing their lives trying to protect mine. The guilt and the shame overweight me when I wake from those nightmares.

The fear has put me into an adrenaline-induced shock of alertness and awareness. I am not where I fell asleep.

"You have invoked our bargain, Little Shadow."

From deep under soft pillows and velvet coverings I shot up looking toward where the voice came. The room was like nothing I had ever seen. Everything pulsed with magic and richly advanced craftsmanship. My eyes fell upon it all eating up the difference of this new world.

"Welcome to Venefica. The city of freedom." His fangy grin was one of pure triumph and his eyes glittered with mirth.

The earlier fear of my dream had worn off and was replaced by something more terrifying. "It may never be broken," I repeated the words exactly as I remembered him saying.

"No," he said definitively.

As if I were still dreaming my body turned over in slow motion. I pressed my face into the luxuriously soft pillow and screamed till I could no more. My screams faded into sobs and I cried my heart out carelessly soaking the coverings in my tears.

A hand hesitantly fell on my lower back. It was long and firm yet elegant, unlike a human man. I did not push him away or stop him as he began rubbing gentle circles and paths across my back. He crept into the bed as if I were a skittish cat. I showed no resistance as he pulled me into his arms and cradled my head on his large shoulder. He comforted me and in turn, helped me relax.

"Just because you are here does not mean your fate is sealed within the confinements of the bargain. You can still do all that you have envisioned and planned." His long fingers wrapped around my jaw and urged my face up to look at his too-elegant face. "The terms of the bargain must be met though. Since you have accepted, your kind must do the same. For the kingdom of Venefica, they must fight my wars when called upon." His hand moved to my stomach. "And your firstborn can only be sired by me now."